Price Drop Perks?

[brainyblonde]

HAL has dropped its prices on a cruise for which I am fully paid. I understand that they want to fill the ship at the last minute. Has anyone received any perks, OBC, upgrades, as a compensation?

 

brainyblonde

[jtl513]

About three weeks ago when our cabin dropped $100 pp I asked for and got a five-step upgrade within the Outside class. I've been told since that this was a East Coast Mariners promotion, but if I hadn't asked I don't think I'd have gotten anything.

 

From what I read here, OBCs are often given in cases of price drops.

[jhannah]

From what I read here, OBCs are often given in cases of price drops.

That would be great. In the past, most of these lower prices have been tagged "For New Bookings Only" and we were out of luck. I guess the old adage is true that it never hurts to ask.

[schoolinmy3]

I was able to get a very nice upgrade after final payment for my upcoming cruise. My TA merely called and asked if there were any upgrades available after a significant price drop. I was moved from a cheap interior to a balcony GTY. :D I am very happy with HAL. ;)

Diane

[Sandi3667]

Just checked the pricing on ours, and it's gone up. At least we can be happy we booked when we did. The price from the TA I booked with is now $56 higher than what I paid, with the trip insurance.

[sevenseasnomad]

Ours has gone up $300 pp. Since there're 3 of us traveling, we're very happy we booked when we did. Now we have friends who want to join us, and I've told them to wait until final payment is due. If the cabins aren't booked, HAL may lower prices then.

 

As for our getting upgrades or any perks after final payment has been made, I would have to doubt we could get anything, and we probably won't even ask, since we're delighted with the cabin we originally booked.

[kazu]

I haven't seen a price drop in any of my cruises since I did South America so many years ago. I must always pick the wrong cruises (or the right ones?). I envy all of you;)

[alpal1993]

Ours has gone up $300 pp. Since there're 3 of us traveling, we're very happy we booked when we did. Now we have friends who want to join us, and I've told them to wait until final payment is due. If the cabins aren't booked, HAL may lower prices then.

 

As for our getting upgrades or any perks after final payment has been made, I would have to doubt we could get anything, and we probably won't even ask, since we're delighted with the cabin we originally booked.

 

Last month 3 days before sailing I was sent an e-mail offering us ann upsell from a Cat J to a VA Aft Balcony for 99$ ppWe jumped on it.I always book a room I will be happy with and if HAL should offer an upsell on a better room for a great price I would except the room ,but if not I will be very happy with the room I selected.

[chelseababy]

This is our first HAL cruise and we booked last October as friends had to go in school hols. We booked 2 VD cabins on Noordam for the Roman Empire cruise departing 26 August @ £2578 per couple via Thomas Cook (TC). It is now £2056 direct with HAL and even less with TC. I asked TC about a refund or more onboard spend and they agreed to try for us. They couldn't get either but we did get an upgrade to an SS cabin which is an upgrade from a verandah stateroom to a superior verandah suite. We would have preferred to have money but they didn't have to offer us anything so I am glad we asked! If you don't ask you don't get!

 

We have also booked a New Zealand cruise next February but because we haven't actually been on our first HAL cruise we are not eligible for any club benefits.

 

Happy Sailing!

[brainyblonde]

Thanks for all the responses. My TA convinced HAL that we deserved something. That was after I called him twice. HAL is upgrading us from HV guarantee to VF guarantee. Not much of a compensation, as there are only four VH's and the VF's are almost equally undesirable. We were underwhelmed, as we have had good luck with VH guarantees in the past. (Once to a VB.) Still hoping the VF guarantee will result in at least a VD.

 

brainyblonde

[EDLOS]

HAL has dropped its prices on a cruise for which I am fully paid. I understand that they want to fill the ship at the last minute. Has anyone received any perks, OBC, upgrades, as a compensation?

 

brainyblonde

 

A few weeks ago BEFORE my final payment was due I checked and found price drops I asked and my TA negotiated a $400.00 decrease in my fare and a 2 step up cabin selection. Final payment is the key to your leverage and you are literally begging after that. That $400.00 was off a single occupancy cabin

[timothy998]

We had the same issue with our most recent cruise..the fare had dropped. So I called our TA and the one on duty was able to get HAL to agree to $200 OBC for each cabin we had booked. We were traveling with our kids and had two connecting VEs so didn't really want to chance losing the connecting cabins.

[Cruizer Bill]

The fares on our Northern Europe Explorer cruise went down $800 per person and most of the drop was AFTER final payment date. We asked for an upgrade and went from VH to VD but I expected something similar to that anyway. HAL is not customer-friendly when it comes to price drops like RCI is.

[Bill S]

Cool new avatar there, Bill! I am going to to check the fares for our upcoming HAL cruise! ;)

[Flyingwarrior]

I had already paid in full and there was a price drop - i called the Travel Agent and within a week was refunded $457.08. If i didn't call would I have been credited anyway -- doubtful. Glad I called - I did it on a whim since many others here were indicating price drops - so I assumed there was one and there was lol :D

[chelseababy]

Looks like we did less well then getting an upgrade rather than any money off or on board credit - and our cruise is still 18 weeks away! I now see our upgrade to Navigation deck could be a mixed blesssing due to noise, soot etc! Well you can't win them all....;)

[Jade13]

I had already paid in full and there was a price drop - i called the Travel Agent and within a week was refunded $457.08. If i didn't call would I have been credited anyway -- doubtful. Glad I called - I did it on a whim since many others here were indicating price drops - so I assumed there was one and there was lol :D

 

Did you pay in full prior to the true final payment date? I had only heard of this before on Celebrity and RCCL, but they have changed their policy.

[CJcruzer]

I had just paid my final payment for our May cruise back in beginning of February - got an e-mail about 10 days ago for select sailings discount - book and save - no mention of NEW BOOKINGS ONLY....our cabin went down $35 per person (it had had 2 previous price drops which were adjusted) - my TA called and I got the $70 as an OBC (I was offered a 1 category upgrade or the OBC) ---

[kabukijuul]

HAL did absolutely nothing for us. They lowered the fare for our cabins by $350 the day after final payment date on the Amsterdam 6/24 sailing. I have 2 connecting cabins...so this means that I have eaten $700 on this cruise. My husband would be furious if he finds out!

 

I tried calling my travel agent twice to no avail and I wrote an email to HAL. I got an offer of a slight upgrade, but not connecting...not that helpful. It is not like I can put my 3 and 5 yr old in a cabin by themselves.

 

RCCL would have offered a shipboard credit. I will probably never consider sailing HAL again because of this...and we cruise a lot!

 

I personally think that it is dirty business practices to lower the fare ONE DAY after final payment date. It penalizes those of us who book early.

[Jade13]

The fares on our Northern Europe Explorer cruise went down $800 per person and most of the drop was AFTER final payment date. We asked for an upgrade and went from VH to VD but I expected something similar to that anyway. HAL is not customer-friendly when it comes to price drops like RCI is.

 

If Celebrity has the same policies as RCCL (parent company) check the boards. They have changed and in fact in many cases will not do any upgrade if it is flash sale/Tuesday special and seem to make everything for New Bookings Only. Check the boards but HAL is way more accommodating.

[Jade13]

 

RCCL would have offered a shipboard credit. I will probably never consider sailing HAL again because of this...and we cruise a lot!

 

I believe like Celebrity, RCCL no longer offers any shipboard credit. They will only do an upgrade and then it can not be a special rate. Their policies changed May 17, 2010.

[Cruizer Bill]

If Celebrity has the same policies as RCCL (parent company) check the boards. They have changed and in fact in many cases will not do any upgrade if it is flash sale/Tuesday special and seem to make everything for New Bookings Only. Check the boards but HAL is way more accommodating.

 

Flash sales and one day sales are different. I don't expect the cruise lines to offer adjustment on these one-off happenings. We have sailed on RCI and X before and when there is a permanent price drop they have (so far) always refunded our money. They are good about that.

[brainyblonde]

Thanks for keeping this thread going with your own personal experiences. Our price drop was $300 per person, again shortly after final payments were due. We had no choice but to make the final payment when we did. As I posted, my TA called once to HAL, nothing. I became a bit more insistant, so then he arranged for a VH GTY to VF GTY upgrade. In essence, the "upgrade" was to placate us. However, it is really "much ado about nothing", as you well know.

 

I may try a third time shortly before we leave. It truly is not the right way to treat loyal HAL cruisers. Demand final payment, then immediately drop the price. $600 per cabin on a 12 day cruise is signficant.

 

brainyblonde

[Jade13]

Flash sales and one day sales are different. I don't expect the cruise lines to offer adjustment on these one-off happenings. We have sailed on RCI and X before and when there is a permanent price drop they have (so far) always refunded our money. They are good about that.

 

Cruizer Bill,

 

They have changed their policy and no longer offer either price drops OR OBC. You can read these threads and ask on the boards.

 

I know because we booked Eclipse within the final payment/penalty period and the new price gaurantee is only 48 hours. Our fare went down by 50% within 3 days (72 hours). Celebrity would not do anything. We were in an AQ class and the next category were the Suites and our only option was to upgrade at a cost. HAL is way more accommodating.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1382023 (Celebrity board. Has a lot of info)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1398042&page=2&highlight=price+drops (RCCL board)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1396608 (Celebrity board)

[kabukijuul]

Thanks for keeping this thread going with your own personal experiences. Our price drop was $300 per person, again shortly after final payments were due. We had no choice but to make the final payment when we did. As I posted, my TA called once to HAL, nothing. I became a bit more insistant, so then he arranged for a VH GTY to VF GTY upgrade. In essence, the "upgrade" was to placate us. However, it is really "much ado about nothing", as you well know.

 

I may try a third time shortly before we leave. It truly is not the right way to treat loyal HAL cruisers. Demand final payment, then immediately drop the price. $600 per cabin on a 12 day cruise is signficant.

 

brainyblonde

 

For me, the primary problem is not the OBC, refund or upgrade (although any of them would be nice...). The issue is that HAL demands final payment and then drops the price significantly the very next day. It is completely insulting...a real slap in the face!